News of another Nicky Hager book in election year became a big story well before reporters knew what was about. Mediawatch looks at how Hit and Run hit the headlines.
Nicky Hager, left, and Jon Stephenson speak to media at the book launch. Photo: RNZ / Jane Patterson
Speculation kicked off as soon as the emailed invitation dropped into the inboxes of journalists and Nicky hager's supporters last weekend.
It promised a “gripping and important” book about an unspecified topic.
“There will be no media comment until the launch,” said the invitation, somewhat sternly. But while there was no advance comment from the author, there was plenty from the media - even though almost all of them were in the dark about the book.
In a New Zealand Herald column headed Why we need another Nicky Hager book, Otago University politics lecturer Dr Bryce Edwards said “it would be something to celebrate”.
“The role of the media is normally central to his work, with the assertion that the media is either being manipulated by the powerful, or not carrying out its role inadequately,” wrote Dr Edwards, who wrote an affidavit in support (PDF) of Nicky Hager during the fallout from his last book Dirty Politics.
PR practitioner Matthew Hooton - who featured prominently in that book - reckoned it was Nicky Hager pulling the strings:
Look and learn young PR students. The master is about to roll out another case study of impeccable media manipulation. https://t.co/kyA6fqgMpg
— Matthew Hooton (@MatthewHootonNZ) March 19, 2017
Dirty Politics derailed the last election campaign. A decade earlier, The Hollow Men lifted the lid on the National Party led by Don Brash.
The invitation said the new this book was “not a sequel to Dirty Politics nor related to the election,” but that didn’t put off political reporters.
They duly gathered at Wellington’s Unity Books for the unveiling. The TV political editors were there with the cameras and lights ready to report live on the 6pm news.
Timed to perfection?
With the actual content still a mystery to most journalists and pundits, they traded guesses on social media in the run-up.
Rolling out stuff.co.nz’s live blog, political reporter Stacey Kirk credited Nicky Hager with “razor-sharp timing”.
It was election year again, said some. Surely no coincidence?
John Key’s parliamentary swansong was the following day, noted others. Was that a factor?
Some pundits said the launch time of 5.15pm was chosen in the hope of maximum exposure with minimal scrutiny on TV.
“That will make it very difficult for everyone - but particularly the 6pm news - to do anything other than advertise it, rather than go to the relevant players for responding comment,” said Stacey Kirk on stuff.co.nz.
Others said you’d need to go earlier in the day to truly maximise the precious 6pm airtime.
@keith_ng @BenThomasNZ 2pm is the usual time for an announcement you want properly covered on 6pm news
— Matthew Hooton (@MatthewHootonNZ) March 20, 2017
A simpler explanation is that after-work time is also typical for drinks-and-nibbles book launches designed to shift some units. It was also a case over sales over spin - or merchandise over messaging.
It became clear party politics was not the topic when Nicky Hager emerged with co-author Jon Stephenson.
The foreign correspondent’s earlier reporting from Afghanistan revealed New Zealand soldiers had taken part in so-far secret raids and handed over Afghan prisoners to the US forces. He went to court when the Defence Force undermined his reporting with false claims and eventually won a substantial settlement after a gruelling defamation trial.
Nicky Hager's previous book on New Zealand's involvement in Afghanistan - Others People's Wars - came out between The Hollow Men and Dirty Politics but received very little coverage.
This book’s claims are even more serious.
It alleges civilians were killed and wounded during an SAS-led revenge raid on an Afghanistan village authorised by John Key, the PM at that time. It says key facts were hidden from the public and denied by government ministers.
Those following live blogs Stuff.co.nz the nzherald.co.nz found that out almost as soon as their own reporters. Both fired up video feeds soon after Nicky Hager began speaking. The Daily Blog livestreamed the entire event from the beginning.
Three minutes after Nicky Hager announced the book, journalists received an email with three attachments: a press release, a list of denials of the attack in questions which had been reported in the media, and a ‘Q and A’ document ending with: “What should happen next”.
Both main TV bulletins - Newshub at 6 and TVNZ1 News - led with the book, and the author's call for an inquiry.
TVNZ political editor Corin Dann stressed that there had been to time to get comment from the Defence Force or relevant politicians “given the tight time frame”. He added that this was the way Nicky Hager works.
The ball is now in the media's court.
Soon after after 7pm
